Friends, important news for anyone with pets, planning to get one, breeding, selling or transporting them — especially if you live in Europe or move animals across borders.
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The European Union has decided to get things in order when it comes to caring for, selling, and transporting cats and dogs. It’s been a long time coming — now, finally, clear, unified rules across all EU countries are on the horizon.
What happened?
This week in Brussels, the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee (AGRI) approved a draft Regulation on the welfare of cats and dogs.
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It may sound dry, but it’s truly a revolution. For the first time in EU history, uniform rules are being introduced for microchipping, breeding, selling, and even online listings of pets.
If you've ever bought a puppy online, transported a pet internationally, or just wondered whether a breeder could be trusted — you know how messy it can be. This new regulation aims to clean that up.
What’s changing:
1. Microchips — now Europe-wide
What was:
Microchipping is already mandatory in countries like Germany, France, Poland, etc., but databases are fragmented and don’t talk to each other.
What will be:
- Microchipping will be required EU-wide.
- All data will feed into a single EU index, allowing pet history to be tracked across borders.
- 📍 Example: a dog registered in Latvia could get “lost” in Austrian records — soon, a unified system will fix that.
2. Pet registration & “pre-registration”
What was:
Local databases existed inconsistently and were never required for pets arriving from outside the EU — a microchip check at the border was often the only requirement.
What will be:
For pets imported from non-EU countries (e.g., Ukraine, Belarus):
- They must be microchipped before entry.
- Pre-registration in the destination country is required at least 5 days in advance.
- Entry must be confirmed in the national database after crossing the border.
- 📍 Example: bringing a cat from Minsk to Warsaw will now require prior registration in Poland’s system.
3. Puppies & kittens — no sooner than 8 weeks
What was:
Some countries enforced this limit, but it wasn’t consistent, and 6-week-old puppies were still common in ads.
What will be:
- Transferring puppies and kittens under 8 weeks old will be banned EU-wide.
- Exemptions only with a veterinarian's note.
- 📍 Example: “6‑week puppy — urgent!” ads will be illegal and platforms must block them.
4. Online listings — only with registration
What was:
Anyone could list pets for sale without microchips, documents or proof of ownership.
What will be:
- Listings allowed only if the animal is microchipped and officially registered.
- All platforms must include mandatory responsibility disclaimers.
- 📍 Example: you’ll need to register your puppy before listing it online — otherwise, your ad won’t be approved.
5. Breeding rules — stricter, with health focus
What was:
Breeding was governed by clubs but often ignored health issues or involved close inbreeding and extreme phenotypes.
What will be:
- Breeding between close relatives (e.g. siblings, parents & offspring) is banned.
- No breeding animals with anatomical or genetic traits causing suffering (like breathing problems, eye injuries, spinal deformities).
- The regulation doesn’t ban whole breeds — but it targets extreme cases (flat faces, blocked airways, sunken eyes).
- Limits on how many litters a female can have, plus mandatory breaks between litters.
- 📍 Example: Pugs, bulldogs, Pekinese won’t disappear — but only healthy individuals who can breathe freely, don’t constantly snore or overheat, and don’t require surgery to stay alive will be allowed for breeding and shows.
6. What about ordinary people & “home litters”?
What was:
Even one or two litters a year could potentially be treated like a business, scaring responsible pet owners.
What will be:
- If you have no more than one litter every 18 months and make no profit, you’re exempt.
- But two or more litters a year means classification as a “small breeder” and the law applies.
- 📍 Example: if you give puppies to friends, that’s fine — but regular public listings mean you must register and follow the rules.
Timeline
The draft passed the AGRI committee. It goes to the European Parliament plenary in July 2025, followed by negotiations with the Council. A final version is expected by the end of 2025.
What to do now
- Ensure your pets are microchipped and registered in a database.
- Planning to transport pets? Learn about the pre-registration requirements.
- Posting ads? Be ready to provide chip & registration info.
- Breeding? It’s time to adopt transparent and lawful practices.
At Anilogistic, we’re keeping a close eye on updates and will be preparing guides, templates, and instructions for you — so stay tuned.
Subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media — and remember: caring for an animal starts with an honest approach.